“We have made a major breakthrough in Chapters 23 and 24 and significantly accelerated reforms since June. We have fulfilled almost all of the European Commission’s requirements for the provisional closure of these chapters, including one completed constitutional amendment, another currently underway, and the adoption of more than 30 laws in Parliament. At this pace, we expect to complete the remaining obligations by the end of the month,” stated Minister of European Affairs Maida Gorčević in Brussels.
Gorčević participated in the meeting of the General Affairs Council of the European Union, at which the European Commission’s 2026 Rule of Law Report for Montenegro and candidate countries was discussed.
The Minister presented the results achieved in the judiciary and the fight against corruption, pointing to the high level of implementation of the Judicial Reform Strategy, greater court efficiency and the strengthening of the independence of judicial institutions. She particularly highlighted the August constitutional amendments, which further strengthened guarantees of the independence of the Judicial Council and the Prosecutorial Council, as well as the fact that Montenegro has, for the first time, completed the evaluation of Supreme Court judges.
“In the area of the fight against corruption, we are recording measurable progress across all relevant indicators. The number of investigations and criminal proceedings is increasing, including high-level corruption cases, as is the number of final decisions and convictions. At the same time, we continue to strengthen the capacities of the institutions leading the fight against corruption,” Gorčević said.
She pointed out that the electoral reform had been completed, a specific legal framework for the protection of whistleblowers had been established, and public procurement oversight had been further strengthened.
Gorčević stressed that one important reform remains unfinished – the second round of constitutional amendments, which would abolish immunity for members of the Government and enable comprehensive integrity checks of public officials.
“Following last week’s unsuccessful attempt, we expect the opposition to secure the required qualified majority for the adoption of the constitutional amendments. Through these amendments, we aim to remove obstacles to the effective investigation and prosecution of corruption and further strengthen accountability in the exercise of public office,” the Minister stated.
Speaking about media freedom and pluralism, Gorčević highlighted improvements in the transparency of media ownership and a stronger institutional response to threats and attacks against journalists. She specifically pointed to the establishment of the inter-institutional Mechanism for the Safety of Journalists, based on the Dutch PersVeilig model.
She also cited the completion of the Constitutional Court’s composition and the adoption of the new Law on the Protector of Human Rights and Freedoms as important achievements. The law has created the conditions for the institution to advance towards A-status accreditation.
The Minister said that Montenegro welcomed the European Commission’s assessment and its recognition of progress in numerous areas, while taking the recommendations and challenges that remain unresolved equally seriously.
“Montenegro does not view the rule of law as a formal requirement to be fulfilled on the path to membership. It is the foundation of our European future. We are determined to complete the remaining work and demonstrate that the progress we have achieved is sustainable, embedded in institutions and the result of an approach fully based on merit,” Gorčević stated.
She thanked the European Commission for its support and cooperation in implementing reforms, noting that the goal is shared – stronger rule of law in Montenegro also contributes to stronger rule of law in the European Union.
MINISTRY OF EUROPEAN AFFAIRS